Alumnus and Former Trustee Paul Duke Dies, Was Former Moderator of PBS' "Washington Week in Review"
July 21, 2005
Alumnus and former trustee Paul Duke, R’47, H’73, died July 18 at his home in Washington, D.C. For 20 years, he was moderator of public television’s “Washington Week in Review” until his retirement in 1994.
Mr. Duke’s long and distinguished career also included positions with the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal and NBC News, where he was congressional correspondent and frequently appeared on the “Today” show and “Meet the Press.”
“Washington Week in Review” was honored with the prestigious DuPont-Columbia Award as television’s outstanding public affairs program. Mr. Duke’s numerous other awards and honors included induction into both the Washington Journalism and the Virginia Communications halls of fame and the John Chancellor Award for Excellence in Journalism.
While an undergraduate at Richmond, Mr. Duke studied under legendary journalism professor Joseph E. Nettles and ran the student newspaper, The Collegian, with future columnist-author Guy Friddell and professor-author-publisher Louis Rubin. Mr. Duke later spearheaded a fundraising drive for a scholarship in Nettles’ honor. He was a trustee from 1977-81 and a board of associates member from 1983-2001, and received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University in 1973.
Mr. Duke is survived by his wife, Janet Wachter Duke; a son, Paul Duke Jr. of Los Angeles; a stepdaughter, Amy Rider of Richmond; and a stepgrandchild. The family requests memorial gifts in lieu of flowers be made to the Joseph E. Nettles Scholarship in Journalism at the university.